The Taming (The Black Thunder Series) (2 page)

One

Cowboys and Barbie Dolls

W
hat did you say?” Kate leaned forward trying to hear Clara over the crowd and noise. They were celebrating Kate’s arrival, and there was no better place in Virginia City than The Bucket of Blood Saloon.

The elongated bar was filled with tourists along with the locals; Nevada men, rugged and wild wearing cowboy hats, spurs, and cigarettes rolled up in their sleeves
. Two bartenders wearing old-timey shirts and red garters on their arms kept up easily with the crowd’s demands. They were large, like bouncers, and Kate had a feeling they would have no trouble handling a rowdy patron and tossing them out on their ear. Kate and Clara sat along the wall, having found a table before it got too crowded.

“So what do you think?” Clara yelled over the loud roar of patrons, country music, and the jingle of slot machines.

“It certainly is different than going to the Martini Bar back in Santa Cruz,” she returned a shout as a long haired cowboy with handle bar mustache bumped into her chair.

“Sorry darling,” he
slurred with a sloppy grin, holding her shoulder a little longer than she liked as if for support.

Kate nodded and
watched him stagger on then gave her friend a worried look. “Relax,” Clara laughed. “He’s harmless.” Kate wasn’t so sure, eyeing the intoxicated man sling himself onto another woman and kiss her. “Are you excited to start work on Monday?” Clara asked pulling her friend’s attention back to her.

“I guess so,” said Kate wondering wha
t she had gotten herself into. She saw a group of bikers enter the bar and followed them as they stationed themselves at the bar top. “They look scary,” she whispered loud.

“You’ll get used to it after a while
. Here, finish your beer. It will make you feel better.” Clara pushed the drink into her hands and wasn’t satisfied until she finished it.

“Have you heard anything from the school board?”
Asked Kate, gaining the courage from the gold liquid warming her belly. She didn’t want to become a nuisance, knowing Clara had helped her with that too, but it was the reason why she moved out to this desolate brown town to begin with.

“Adam says they’re still reviewing the applications
. But he put in a good word for you and they were impressed with your résumé.”

“I hope so
. I need that teaching position Clara.”

“You worry too much
.” She brushed off her fear knowing her friend already had the job and the interview was just the formality. “You always did have to have everything tied together in a nice neat package. Sometimes you have to go with the flow.”

“I don’t work that way.” Kate
stated as her eyes popped an anxiety blue, thinking about her summer job. “And I never thought I would be here housekeeping for a living.”

“It won’t be so bad
. You have a measly five bunkhouses to clean on the ranch. You’ll be done by noon and then you will have the rest of the day to do what you want.”

“
That’s what I’m afraid of.” She fumbled with her empty glass. “What am I going to do with all that free time?”

“Be adve
nturous for once in your life,” encouraged Clara. “Live a little. Do something spontaneous for a change.”

“I can be spontaneous,” she said defensively.

“Really?” Clara lifted her brow and tilted her head.

“Okay, so I like my life planned out
. It gives me a sense of security.”

“You can’t plan everything darling
. That’s when life backfires on you.” Clara had a point. Her planning had backfired on her big time, and now her head was spinning. “Quite thinking so hard or you’ll give yourself a migraine.” Clara eyed her friend shrugging off her rising anxiety. “I think it’s time for another round.” She stood from her seat, ignoring Kate’s protests. “I’ll be right back. Don’t run away, yah hear?”

Clara sauntered up to the bar, shimmying herself between two ruggedly handsome men, local cowboys smelling of earth and beer
. She leaned her elbow on the bar top and called out to one of the bartenders above the crowd. “Two more of everything Frank.”

“Coming right up Clara
,” he called back.

Clara turned her head and looked at one of the cowboys
. He was tall, rugged, and definitely all male. From under his cowboy hat a lock of dark brown swept low over the arch of his brow as cactus green eyes caught sight of her feminine frame. “Hey there Clara.” His lips parted to show a perfect set of teeth.

“Hey yourself stranger
,” Clara smiled at her old friend. “I didn’t think I’d see you here tonight.”

“Needed to unwind a spell
. You here with Adam?” He glanced around the room for her husband.

“No, I’m here with Kate.”

“Who-” He asked returning his attention back to the short red head.

“Your new tenant and employee
.” Clara shot him a dirty look.

“Oh, her
.” He shrugged as if he didn’t like to pay much mind to such matters, which he didn’t. He let his ranch manager take care of those details.

“You have met her,
haven’t you?” She lifted a curious brow.

“Been too busy,” he said as a pretty little brunette caught his attention and an admiring smile formed on his face, watching her leave the saloon
.

“Jack McBride, I swear you have the manners of a mule
.” She scowled and smacked him on the arm regaining his attention. “Well, she’s over there if you want to say a friendly hello.” She pointed toward her friend.

Jack didn’t want to be bothered, he was here for one reason only and it wasn’t to make small talk with Clara and one of her friends
. He worked hard today and was ready to play hard tonight with some sweet thing of his choosing but he found himself looking anyway just to appease Clara knowing she would not relent until he did.

He saw a woman with long blond hair sitting alone at a table
. He did a double take and his breath caught in his chest. Her arms were lean and long and Jack found himself wondering if her legs matched. His stomach did a little flip noticing that she was pretty. He couldn’t help staring at her curled up nose and how her hair hung around her shoulders and over those nice full breasts. He glanced at his hand and thought they would fit nicely. A slow grin formed on his face.

His thoughts were broken as the bartender placed Clara’s order on the bar
. “I got it,” said Jack tossing a wad of cash onto the bar. “After you.” He picked up their beers and headed for the table where the sweet blonde sat. Clara quickly scooped up the two filled shot glasses and ran after him.

“You can look, but don’t touch,”
she whispered to Jack.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said displaying a
salivating grin as if he’d chosen his night’s thrill.

Clara stopped
. “I know you Jack McBride,” she warned taking his arm. “Kate isn’t like the women you know. She’s a nice girl, get the picture?”

He nodded
but still strode toward to the table, green eyes honing in on the blond.

Clara just rolled her eyes and followed after his pursuit
. She took her seat and placed the shot glasses on the table. “Kate, this is Jack McBride,” she said trying to maintain a semblance to the introductions. “Jack is the owner of the ranch where you’re staying.” Kate looked over at the brown haired man outlined in jeans, boots and hat and gave him a welcoming smile. “Jack, this is Kathryn Harris, but everyone calls her Kate.”

“Hi
.” Kate held out her hand to shake his. Jack set the beers down and shook her hand, melding it’s smallness into his large strong palms.

“
Always a pleasure to meet a pretty filly,” he said holding on longer than he should before taking the seat next to her. “So you’re the one who moved into the carriage house.”

“I am,” she said
nervously as she rubbed her now tingling palm.

The air seemed to cling with charged electricity
. Maybe it was from the several slot machines that rang loud from simultaneous payouts while blinking red and yellow lights or maybe it was the unsettling man seated beside her.

“You’re going to be working for me too I take it
.” He took a drink of his beer but his eyes never left hers.

Kate shifted in her seat, watching his stark green eyes roam over her body
. Her throat grew instantly dry and she took a sip of her beer and nodded. There was something about this man’s intensity that made him a bit intimidating, and she found herself peering over her glass, almost flustered by his ruddy good looks.

“So what exactly have I hired you to do
?” He asked straight out but didn’t wait for her answer. “Are you the new guide for the horseback riding tours?”

The visual of
long legs astride a saddle brought him instant pleasure and he grazed his front teeth over his bottom lip as if to savor the thought.

“Oh God no,” Kate nervously laughed
and shook her head.             

“You do ride don’t you?”
His brow arched in innuendo form as his mouth clicked into a
giddy up
kind of grin.

“No, sorry
- I don’t ride,” she said not sure how to take his question.

“Somehow I doubt that
.” He looked her up and down thinking he wouldn’t mind testing her riding skills. Jack took another drink of his beer, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Kate’s going to do the housekeeping,” interjected Clara as she kicked Jack under the table.

Jack gave Clara a cross look then returned his attention back to Kate.

So this pretty thing was going to be cleaning for him
. It would be a welcome sight to see someone with a nice ass for a change. “I like my place tidy and my bedroom spotless. You do know how to maneuver between the sheets, don’t you?”

Kate choked
on her beer.

“Kate isn’t cleaning your place,” Clara barked at him
. “She was hired to clean the bunkhouses.”

Disappointment washed over him then his spine prickled at the thought of having this delicious woman interacting with his ranch hands
. They would be all over her like bees on honey. The idea of her taking an interest in anyone but him grated on his nerves. It was primal, his need to possess. It bordered on a little crazy considering he just met her, but when Jack McBride got something in his head, it wasn’t something he could let go of easily.

“The bunkhouse is out of the question,” he ordered
. “You’ll clean my house, and that’s that.”

“Mr. McBride, I appreciate your offer, but if it’s all the same to
you, I would prefer to clean the bunk houses. Besides, it’s only temporary through the summer.”

“What you mean temporary?” His eyes narrowed.

“I’m a teacher. I am hoping for a position in the fall.”

“What do you teach?” he snapped.

Kate looked over at Clara and frowned. He was arrogant and used to ordering people around. Kate didn’t work like that. As a matter of fact, she was beginning to think it was a mistake taking the job. But she was stuck now seeing as her living accommodations were connected to her employment. She may have to put up with him, but she didn’t have to like him, and she was beginning to think that she did not care for Jack McBride at all.

“I teach grade school,” she stated firmly
.

“In Virginia City?”

“Hopefully, yes,” she nodded.

“So, you don’t have the job yet,” he said with an air of smugness
.

“Kate has her application in with the school board,” interjected Clara.

“Well, good for you!”  He leaned back in his chair and finished his beer.

“What does that mean?” Kate’s eyes narrowed a bit.

“It means don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched, baby,” he said with a grin. “You may be working for me longer than you think.”

Kate bit her tongue
. He was too sure of himself, and his confidence bordered on arrogance. He irritated her to no end, and it took all of her strength to remain civil toward him. “I’m a good teacher, and I’m sure the school board will recognize my contribution,” she said politely.

“Why do you want to teach when you have a go
od job already?” he stated crossing his arms over his chest.

“Mr. McBride, do you have something against teachers?” Kate fought back her temper.

“Not in particular,” he grinned seeing that he had gotten a rise out of her. Oh she was simmering beneath those pretty blue eyes and that sweet pursed mouth, and for some reason it turned him on. “It’s as good a profession as any, if you like that sort of thing.”

“As opposed to ranching I take it?”
she said abandoning her politeness.